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Monthly Favorites: March 2016

March was a really hard month for me. It's my birthday month and I have always found my birthdays to be a trigger for my depression. As a result, I spent most of the month in the grips of a Major Depressive Episode (MDE) and was trying to make it through each day moment-by-moment. When I'm in a tenuous place emotionally, my therapist always tells me to take care of myself and to surround myself with things that bring me happiness. In an otherwise dreary month, there were a few things that brought me joy:

|1|Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng: This was the best book that I read in March and the best novel I have read all year. I will be doing a full review on the book in the next week [watch this space!], but I will say that it is about a tragedy that completely upends a family and forces them to reconsider everything they ever knew about themselves and one another. It's.so.awesome.

|2| Disney x Vans Jungle Book: For my birthday I finally got a pair of the Jungle Book Vans that I have wanted since the fall. If you love your classic skateboarding shoe and enjoy a Disney movie or two, you might want to scout out this collection.

|3| Marona Polka Dot Tote from Target: This was a late birthday present from my mom and I love it. I wear this cross-body and am able to carry my day to day stuff as well as some of my work related materials with me. I like a bag that is cute, fuss-free, and can hold two pounds of crazy-- this one fits the bill!

|4| Target's Pillow Fort Line: This line of children's bedding is the.best. Since my dog sleeps on my bed, I often by children's bedding because it is more durable and stain resistant. Pillow Fort, in addition to its durability, is incredibly whimsical. I have the "Best Bears Forever" set in my room. Who needs adulthood, eh?

|5| It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream: My skin has been a bit wonky lately with all of the emotional upheaval I have experienced as of late and this stuff has helped to neutralize some of the blemishes, redness, and oiliness I've had. Contrary to what you might think, this CC cream can be built up to full coverage and can hide a multitude of sins. The one draw back to this product is that the color range is a bit limited; I am a MAC NC20 and I wear the shade Fair. I would imagine someone who was a lot lighter or a lot darker than me would struggle to find a shade that matches their shade and undertone.

|6|Saga: This month I started reading the Saga series and have grown to love it. When I read the first volume I wasn't sold . . . but then I wanted to know what happened to the one character I did like so I had to read the next book. Suffice it to say, I'm not in for a pound. I will be finishing volume three this evening and I already have the next three volumes on hold at the library. If you enjoy graphic novels like Watchmen (and I do!) you'll probably like this one, too!

|7| PaperMate InkJoy Pens: Life is too short to write with sub-par pens. I, however, have found the penultimate ballpoint in these bad boys. Not only are InkJoys aesthetically pleasing, they are well pigmented and write smoothly on a variety of paper textures. You can pick up a small multi-colored pack at Target for around $5, more expensive than a package of Bics but well worth the added expense!

|8| Loose Leaf Teas: My local supermarket has started to stock loose leaf teas in bulk bins and I have loved getting to try new flavors of herbal and fruit teas this month. My personal favorite is a watermelon one that is so fragrant and lovely it perks me up no matter what time of day it is.

How do you take care of yourself when you're feeling down? Let me know on Twitter @thelexicondev.